Ventilator for receptacles.



y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE J'. FELLMAN AND BICI-IARD SHORE, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

VENTILATOR FOR RECEPTAGLES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE J. FELLMAN and RICHARD B. SHORE, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented cert-ain new and useful Improvements in Ventilators for Receptacles, of which the fol lowing is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to ventilators for baskets of various kinds, crates, boxes, and other receptacles particularly designed for storing and transporting fruits, vegetables and various kinds of perishable produce.

The primary object of our invention is the provision of novel means, in a manner as will be hereinafter set forth, for thoroughly Ventilating the interior of a recep- ,tacle whereby the contents thereof will be prevented from becoming moldy, decomposed or disintegrated.

Another object of the'invention is to furnish a receptacle with a ventilator that will serve functionally as a reinforcement for adding rigidity to the receptacle structure, thereby preventing collapse of the receptacle.

Our invention aims to reduce the expense of preparing produce for long distance transportation, to increase the longevity of produce receptacles, and to insure preservation of produce in storage and transportation. In this connection it is the present practice to store fruit baskets one upon the other in a car for transportation, the arrangement of the baskets necessitating the use of considerable lumber to maintain the baskets in this manner. In packing baskets in this manner the contents thereof are poorly ventilated and even with the best of packing the lids of baskets are liable to be crushed and rendered useless, besides injuring the basket and the contents adjacent to the lid.

Our invention further aims to brace the lid ofa basket whereby it will withstand considerable pressure and the very means employed for bracing the lid is utilized as a ventilator for disseminating air throughout the basket. y

With the above and other obj ects in view the invention resides in a novel construction to be hereinafter specifically described and then particularly claimed.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 9, 1911.

Patented Nov. '7, 1911.

Serial No. 607,504.

One embodiment of the invention is' illustrated in the drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of basket in accordance with this invent-ion. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional 'View of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of the ventilator.

In the drawing we have shown a basket having the side walls and bottom thereof formed by a plurality of staves 1 arranged one upon the other, radially disposed and bent to form a cylindrical structure. The upper ends of the staves ,are connected by an inner hoop 2 and an outer hoop. 3. Another outer hoop 1 is secured to the staves intermediate the upper and lower edges of the basket, and suitably connected to oppositely disposed sides of said basket are inverted U .shaped handles 5. The bottom of the basket has a ring 6 and centrally of the bottom the overlying staves 1 have a vertical tapering opening 7. In this opening is mounted the lower tapering end 8 of a Ventilating tube 9. 'This tube is provided with a plurality of sets of radially disposed openings 10, the sets of said openings being arranged from the upper end of the ventilating tube to the tapering end thereof.

The tube is provided with an annular bead 11 adapted to engage the uppermost stave and coperate with the tapered end 8 'in supporting tube 9 in a vertical position centrally of the basket. The upper edges of eov the tube 9 are scalloped to provide prongs 12 for a purpose that will presently appear and the lower tapered end thereof is provided with malleable lugs or prongs 13 adapted to be bent to engage the outersidek of the lowermost stave and thereby lock the lower end of the tube in the bottom of the basket.

The lid employed for closing the basket comprises rails 14 connected by longitudinal slats 15 and these slats are connected by a transverse slat 16. The slat 16 is of a sufIicient length to permit of the ends 17 thereof being sprung under the handles 5 and to-` further hold the lid upon the basket, ho-oks 18, carried by the hoop 8 have the upper ends thereof driven into one of the slats 15.

The foraminous Ventilating tube has the upper scalloped end thereof protruding above the upper edges of the basket, whereby when the lid is sprung into position upon the basket the prongs 12 will engage in the underside of the lid. ln this manner the upper end of the tube is centered and held while `said tube serves functionally as a suppo-rtfor the central portion of the'lid, there-- by preventing accidental collapse of the lid when pressure is brought to bear uponthe same by piling baskets one upon the other.

The foraminous Ventilating, tube 'can be made of sheet met-al, pottery ware, wood, ber or any other suitable material, and by making it of different lengths and shapes it can be utilized in connection with various kinds of receptacles. It is obvious that air can enter the bot-tom of the tube and be circulated centrally of the basket and that in vsome instances prongs 13 can be dispensed with,

What we claim is 1. The combination with a basket having the bottom thereof provided with a tapered opening, of a vertically-disposed foraminous tube having the lower end thereof seated in l said tapering opening, bendable lugs carried by the lower end of the tube and adapted to engage the lower face of the bottom of the basket thereby anchoring the lower end of the tube,an annular bead carried by said tube and engaging the upper face of the bottom of the basket, and prongs provided at the upper `end of said tube and adapted to engage in the lowerface of the lide of the balsket for anchoring the upper end of the tu e.

2. The combination with a basket having a slatted| body-portion and with the slats bent to provide the bottom of the basket, the ends of the slats overlapping, the said overlapping ends apert-ured to provide a vertically disposed tapering opening, of a foraminous tube having the lower end thereof extendingv in said opening, bendable lugs carried by the lower end of the tube and adapted to engage the lower face of the bottoln of the basket for anchoring the lower end of said tube, an annular bead carried by said tube and engaging the upper face of the bottom of the basket, and in connection with said lugs clamping the overlapping ends of thel slats together, and prongs provided at the upper end of the tube and en gaging in the lower face of the lid of the basket :tor anchoring the upper end of the tube.

In testimony whereof we affix our signa- I Y tures in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE J. FELLMAN.

RICHARD B. SHURE.

Witnesses: i

MAX H. SRoLov'iTz, EDWIN P. SHORE. 

